///Corporate

DAVID RING PROMOTED TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP'S eLABS

SANTA MONICA, CA, August 15, 2005 - Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, has promoted David Ring to Senior Vice President of Business Affairs and Business Development for eLabs, the company's division responsible for handling electronic commerce initiatives, Internet exploitation, and new technology business opportunities. The announcement was made today by eLabs President Larry Kenswil and Executive Vice President Amanda Marks. Formerly, Mr. Ring served as Vice President of the division. He will continue to head eLabs' Business & Legal Affairs team and will continue his ongoing Business Development duties.

"David's promotion is well deserved and recognizes his incredible work ethic and outstanding performance," stated Ms. Marks. "Since joining eLabs at its inception, he has displayed a keen sense of strategy in a rapidly changing business environment and an unwavering commitment to our labels and artists. David will continue to be instrumental in helping to take UMG to new heights in an increasingly challenging marketplace."

"It has been a pleasure to watch David grow into such a talented executive, amassing an impressive track record of innovation, creativity and business acumen," commented Mr. Kenswil. "David played an important role in our successful entrance into the mobile business, and I am confident that he will continue to help us lead the industry in the digital space."

"Working with Larry and Amanda and such a dynamic and talented team of executives and artists at UMG is a real honor," added Mr. Ring. "And I'm particularly thankful to Zach Horowitz [President & COO, Universal Music Group], Larry and Amanda for their continued support and leadership."

Prior to joining UMG in March of 1996, Mr. Ring was in private practice representing, among others, recording artists, labels, writers, and producers. He has also worked as an associate at the Los Angeles law firms of Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin, Krim & Riley and Rosenberg, Nagler & Phillips, where he handled intellectual property and business litigation with an emphasis on music and other entertainment-related issues. He holds a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of California, Berkeley.

eLabs, a division of Universal Music Group, is responsible for handling the company's electronic commerce initiatives, Internet exploitation, and new technology business opportunities worldwide. Universal eLabs' supports all of UMG's e-business initiatives, including digital download, subscription, webcasting, interactive radio and pay-per-play through all digital channels of purchase such as kiosks, computers, TV set top boxes, and portable devices. eLabs works closely with and supports all UMG's record labels and other businesses to enhance opportunities for music driven by new technologies, while protecting the value of recorded music.

Universal Music Group is the world's largest music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Records, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division. Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.